Pours a moderate brown with a fairly thin head. A bit of the head remains after some time, although the remainder doesn't leave much lacing as it goes down. The nose has got a surprising amount of hop activity with a good amount of pine and citrus. Some caramel and light molasses in the back. The taste brings forward some of the hop elements without too much bitterness. Some light doughy flavors with a bit of toast. Light to medium body. Drinks pretty well overall for a winter warmer and certainly bucks the insane spicing trend. (556 characters)

Appearance - Pours a cloudy red-orange color similar to apple cider. Large, frothy, light tan head that slowly dissipates. Maintains a small layer of head as well. Light to moderate lacing.

Smell - Not too much smell to this beer, but I detect faint hop characteristics and maybe some malt in there. Underwhelming.

Taste - Thankfully a lot stronger than the smell. A bitter, dry, piney hop flavor dominates this beer. I taste some caramel malt as well, and maybe some spice back end. Not as complex or exciting as I'd hoped for.

Drinkablity - This beer is much more of a sipper than a drinker due to its dry finish. Did not care for it too much to start but "warmed" up to it the more I drank. Could have a few of these in a sitting. (821 characters)

I personally love this ale. Always look for it each winter. It has great taste and smooth finish. Very well done. One of the best winter ales and very drinkable. Not one of those seasonals where you can only have one or two at the most. The Maryland breweries are very under rated. Even my Ridgeback loves this one! (315 characters)

Pours a transucent light brownish color with a light rimming of gray head.Smell is roasted with some hints of malt and maybe a trace of hoppiness.Taste is solid roasted malt, shades of a coffee with some bitter finish.Finish is ok, leaves a light malted after-taste for a bit.Drinks pretty well, very solid warmer. (318 characters)

Review is from notes taken on 11/11/09 and was poured from the bottle to a pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a nice deep caramel/coffee/ruby color; with a one finger off-white head that fades quickly to a very thin and uneven skim floating in the middle of the surface; body is slightly cloudy; thin washes of loose oily lacing cling to the sides.

Smell: a little weak, but I can pull some toasty malts and a slight hint of a coffee roast.

Taste: Fairly mild and reminiscent of Goose Island's Mild Winter - light toasty malts and roast coffee flavors; slightly citric hoppy twinge in the end that helps balance out the sweetness; just a slightly metallic aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Solid carbonation that's even a tad sharp; body is a tad thin and manages a slight coating on the roof of the mouth.

Drinkability: Not too bad overall. Looks pretty, flavors are alright (I dig the toastiness) and the price is right at only $1.60 a bottle. I don't think I'd seek it out, but I wouldn't turn it down if offered. (1,005 characters)

A - One finger of light brown head on top of a reddish brown body with good clarity. The foam settles quickly and leaves little lace.

S - Fruity aroma of red apples with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Lots of brown, toasted malt notes under the spices with caramel and toffee.

T - Slightly sweet malt up front, toast and caramel with some pine hops. Spicy notes kick next with cinnamon, clove, and orange. Finishes with an emphasis on caramel malt, balanced by some roasted grain notes and tannic spice bitterness.

M - Medium-thick body, moderate carbonation, and a balanced finish.

D - Not bad, though the spices get a bit heavy on the palate towards the end of the glass and the malt has a heavy molasses character that gets kind of cloying. The aroma is better than the flavor, but I have to give them a nod for having the sense to at least try to balance the malt and spice with some hop flavor. Worth trying, but I wouldn't want another one. (948 characters)

Smell has a heavy toasted malt aroma, slightly chocolatey along with some spiciness.

Taste and Mouth is again heavy toasted malt. Spicey on the tongue ,kind of sugary on the lips and again with a heavy sugary alcohol warmth that sticks in the belly for a while. Medium - Full bodied with good carbonation. Also getting some darker fruits like plum. After a bit of time past a hoppy oilness takes over the mouth making it a bit bitter.

Drink is ok nothing spectacular nothing really bad just an over all different beer. (628 characters)

Taste - a nice rich grain with a good measure of roast to it. The hops have more than just balance, they kick some tasty finishing bitterness into the mix. A light touch of abv warmth at length. Ends dry with a pleasant reprise of roasted grain.

Mouthfeel - decent body, just a little more than average weight. Medium carbonation, works well for the style.

A - A nice dark red ocher color with a light tan head that disappeared quickly. The lacing was surprisingly nice in comparison.

S - Not much nose to this at first. I gave it a few minutes to warm up a the sweet maltiness came through a little followed by bitter hoppy aroma.

T - Initial hoppiness is followed by a brief layer of maltiness and then you get smacked by a bitter hoppy finish that lingers for a while after you swallow.

M - about what I expected, nothing more, nothing less.

D - As this warmed up the complexity increased but I still don't feel like it is a standout in any area. It's tasty, but the alcohol bite is more noticeable than I would like. I might like to try this on tap sometime to see if it changes things. (737 characters)

Appearance: Pours a dark brown with orange highlights. The beer is transparent, with a huge, 5" tall, exploding out of the tulip, tan head. It shows great retention. Extremely thick lace coats the sides of the glass. Bubbles carve out the holes in the lace.

Smell: Bready, malty and spicy. It smells like a brown ale and a fresh sourdough loaf combined.

Taste: Malty, bready and full of well...malt. A bitterness is off-putting and drying. A flat, sour taste is lingering. A little too bitter for me.

Mouthfeel: Smooth at first, but lots of bitterness is there too. Not bad, cloying or off-putting. Not much booze in there.

Drinkability: Ok. It's been awhile since I've had this one, and maybe for good reason. For the price, it's decent. Not worth seeking out. (827 characters)

This is the winter seasonal from the Maryland brewers. Pour reveals a murky brown with orange highlights and although the dark tan head doesn't last, the lacing remains are sturdy. The nose is spicy and malty as you would expect.

The first sip reveals dark, nutty malt flavors with a bit of spice and a tiny touch of hops that show up in the finish. The texture is dry and holds off on the carbonation nicely. Easy drinking and decent for the style., Worth a shot. (466 characters)

T - Starts off with a hoppy bite, and then smooths out into a roasty malt sweetness. If there are truly any spices in there, they really aren't a player in the taste. Finish is a bit boozy & bitter and lingers for a while.

M - Above average thickness and body. Gets more syrupy as it warms.

D - The 6.3% ABV, heavy body, and the run of the mill flavor mean I wouldn't be drinking too many of these at a sitting. I'm a big fan of winter brews, but this isn't one that I'll be seeking out in the future. (669 characters)

The aroma is sweet and malty with a strong yeast factor that is like butterscotch lotion and dark fruit. The appearance is amber with a smaller sized head. The flavor is bread like with butter brown sugar, malt, and some hop bitterness. The palate is typical for the style. Overall an enjoyable beer. (300 characters)

Though the Wild Goose beers are kind of middle of the road I think that this one of the best beers to come out of this brewery. An easy drinking winter ale with a nice aroma of floral hops and caramel malt. This ale has a big flavor of bready, toasted malts up front while finishing with a medium hop bitterness. An excellent balance of caramel malts and hops.

At $6.49 one of the most moderately priced seasonal beer available. And the new package this year makes it look a lot sharper. (488 characters)